Radiator testing device



y 1951 F. B. THOMPSON 2,554,429

RADIATOR TESTING DEVICE Filed April 19, 1948 fig .2

I ENTOR.

Fraz/flz'zz Bi um Thompson Patented May 22, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE 1 Claim. (CI. 73-51) This invention relates to a testing deviceand has relation more particularly to a device of this kind fordetecting leaks in radiators and the like.

It is an object of the invention to provide a testing device includingmeans whereby the article to be tested can be readily submerged orlifted as desired and solidly maintained in selected adjusted position.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a device of this kindincluding a tank open at its top together with a support for a radiatoror the like suspended above the tank for up and down movement withrespect to the tank and wherein hydraulic means are provided foreffecting and controlling the movements of the support.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this kindwherein a work supporter is suspended above an open tank 8 for movementwith respect thereto and together with means for controlling themovement of the support including a hydraulic lift and wherein thedischarge from the hydraulic lift is delivered to the tank.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a device of thiskind wherein the wearing parts thereof are positioned exteriorly of thesubmerging tank whereby is not required to empty the tank to effectrepairs or maintenance.

The invention consists in the details of construction and in thecombination of the several parts of my improved testing device wherebycertain advantages are attained, as will be hereinafter more fully setforth.

In order that my invention may be better understood I will now proceedto describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawing,wherein:

In the drawing:

Figure l is a View in perspective with portions in section of a testingdevice constructed in ac-- cordance with an embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken centrally ofFigure 1; and

Figure 3 is an enlarged detailed sectional view of the type of liftingelement as herein employed.

As illustrated in the accompanying drawing, T denotes a tank of desireddimensions and which has its upper or top face open. The tank T,however, is preferably rectangular in plan. Rigidly secured to thecorner portions of the tank '1 and depending therefrom are thesupporting legs I for maintaining the tank T at a desired distance abovethe surface upon which the legs I engage. The upper free marginalportion of the side walls 2 and the end walls 3 of the tank T aredefined by the outwardly and upwardly inclined flanges or aprons 4 whichserve to drain back into the tank fluid which may be splashed out orotherwise displaced from within the tank T dur ing a working operation.The outer marginal portions of the flanges or aprons 4 have. extendingtherealong the inwardly facing shoulders or abutments 5 of desiredheight which serve to substantially eliminate overflowing of liquid re-7 ceived upon the flanges or aprons 4.

As shown in the accompanying drawingpthe legs I associated with one endportion of the tank T are connected at a desired pointbelow the; tank Twith a cross member 6. The central por;

tion of this member 6 has rigid therewith an outstanding platform I uponwhich is vmounted a hydraulic jack or lifting element E. This element Ecomprises a closed cylinder 8 intersected bya diaphragm 9, operativelyengaged with the central portion of the diaphragm 9 and extendingupwardly therefrom is a plunger II) of desired length. This plunger isslidably disposed through the top head II of the cylinder 8 and theupper or outer extremity of the plunger I0 is operatively connected asat I2 with a rock arm I4 fixed to the shaft I5 for movement therewith.The connection between the plunger l0 and the rock arm I4 is preferablyrelatively close to the shaft I5 to assure maximum effective upward.rocking move ment of the arm I4. The outer end portion of the rock armI4 is provided with a slot I6 extending lengthwise thereof and throughwhich freely passes a pivot member I'I carried by the lower end portionof a vertically disposed elongated lift arm I8. This arm I8 is held tothe adjacent end walls 3 of the tank T by the vertically spaced guidebrackets I-9 and the adjacent apron or flange 4 is provided with asuitable opening 20 through which the lift arm I 8 freely passes.

The shaft I5 at its opposite end portion is also? operatively engagedwith the lower extremity with a second lift arm I8 through the medium,of course, of a second rock arm I4. Obviously upon rocking movement ofone of the arms I4 The arms I8 are coextensive in length with" theirupper extremities provided with the inof the tank T. The opposed facesof the heads 21 have rigid therewith the bearings 22 with which areoperatively engaged the central portions of the hanger members H. Thesehanger members are each herein disclosed as being in the form of aninverted V with the extremities of the arms 23 thereof operativelyengaged as at 24 with the end portions Of the end members 25 of the workframe F.

The frame F is herein disclosed as rectangular in form and of suchdimensions to readily have up and down movement within the tank T. Theend members 25 of the frame F and the side members 26 thereof constituteangle members having inwardly directed flanges a at the bottom marginsthereof, and which provide rests for the work supporting members 21which substantially bridge the space between the members 23.. Themembers 21 are preferably flat, and are separable from the frame F sothat said members may be readily shifted lengthwise of the members 26 tosuch selective positions as may best suit the requirements of practice.Although not shown, it may be stated that if desired work supportingmembers may be supported lengthwise of the frame F and operativelysupported by the flanges a of the end members 25.

With the frame F preferably at the limit of its upward movement and withthe tank T properly filled. with water, the. radiator to be tested isplaced upon the supports 27. The radiator is filled with air underpressure and as the pressure. within the jack or element E is reducedthe frame F will move downwardly until it is submerged to a depthdetermined by the location of the leak in the. radiator and which depthwill be readily and substantially instantaneously in- (heated by thebubbles in, the water created by the air escaping out from the radiatorthrough the, leak.

In communication with the cylinder 3 at the pressure side of thediaphragm 9 is a pipe line 28 which leads to a pressure tank 29 ofdesired capacity and which may be supported at any preferred locationwith. respect to the tank T. In communication with this line 28 is asupply line 30- leading from a. suitable source of water supply such as.a city main, and. interposed in this line, 30 is. a non-return valve 31-of any preferred type. Also interposed in the line 30 is a valve 32 ofany desired type for controlling the flow through the pipe 30- to. thepipe linev 28.

Interposed in the line 28 at a desired point be.- tween the jack orelement E and the communication between the pipe 30 and the pipe line 28is a.

valve structure S diagrammatically illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings. This valve S. may

be of anytype preferred as itis only necessary that. the valve. member33 of the valves, when in one, adjustment, allows for unobstructed flowthrough the pipe line 28 and. when. in a second position allows for flowthrough the portion of the pipeline 28 between the jack or. lift elementE. and thev valve structure S through a branch pipeline 34 leading fromthe casing 35 of the valve, structure s and delivering or dischargingwith the. tank T.

In communication with. the pressure tank 29 through the top thereon. isa pipe line 33. leading from a source of air under pressure andinterposed in this line 36 is a valve structure V. This valve structureV may be as desired but includes a. valve member 31 which, when in oneposition, permits unobstructed flow through the pipe line 3.6 of airunder pressure for discharge within thetank. 29. When the valve member31 of. the structureyv is; in a second position, it. affordscommunication between the portion of the pipe line 36 between the valvestructure V and the tank 29 with a filler pipe 38 leading from thecasing 39 of the valve structure V. This filler pipe 38 discharges fromabove within the tank T.

When it is desired to fill the tank T the valve member 33 of the valvestructure S is adjusted to close the flow through the lifting element orjack E and the valve member 31 of the valve structure V is adjusted toshut off the flow of the air under pressure to the tank 29 and to openthe flow through the portion of the pipe line between the valvestructure V and the pipe 35 and out through the filling pipe 38. Thepipe 3| leads from a suitable source of water supply under a requisitepressure and when the flow through the pipe 30, is opened, as by properadjustment of the valve 32 the water will flow through the pipe line 28to the tank 29 and after the tank 29 is filled the water will flow outthrough the adjacent portion of the pipe line 35 and discharge into thetank T through the filling pipe 38. After a proper amount of water hasbeen discharged within the tank T, the valve member 3-! is adjusted toclose the flow through the filling pipe 38 and to. open the pipe line 33for flow of the air under pressure which will initially engage againstthe water within the portion of the pipe line 36 between the tank 29 andthe valve structure V. The valve member 33 of the valve. structure. S isalso adjusted to open the how through the. pipe line 28 from the tank 29to the pressure chamber of the lifting element or jack E, and at thesame time to close the. flow out through the pipe line 34. The pressurecreated within the cylinder 8 will result in the upward swingingmovement of the rock arms 14 to raise the frame. F and to maintain theframe in said raised position. The radiator to be tested is thenv placeduponv the members 27 associated with the frame F and the valve member 33of the valve structure S adjusted to open the flow through the portionof the pipe line 28 leading from the element or jack E and into the tankT through the pipe 34. This will result in the reduction of pressure. inthe. cylinder 8 of the element or jackE and. permit the frame F tolower. When the frame F is lowered to a desired point. the valve member33 of the valve structure S is adjusted. to close the flow out throughthe pipe 34 and also through the pipe 28 to the element or jack. E sothat the frame F will be maintained in desired. lowered position tofacilitate the testing of the radiator.

When. it isv desired to remove the radiator it is only necessary thatthe valve member 33 of, the valve structure S be adjusted to open theflow through the pipe line 28 to the jack or element. E.

Extending up within the. tank. T through the bottom thereof is anoverflow pipe: 40 through which the water within the tank T willdischarge after the water level has reached a predetermined height.

Hingedly connected as at 4| with a side marginal portion of the tankTat. the bottom thereof is a table 42 of desired dimensions and which isprovided with the rearwardly disposed tail piece 43 which operativelyengages the tank '1 from below to limit the downward swinging movementof the table 42 and also permits the table 42 to curve as an eifectiveand convenient support for the radiator or kindred work under suchconditions when thetop of the tank or more particularly the flanges oraprons 4 should be too high. When not in use the table 42 may" be swungupwardly and maintained in such inoperative position by a swing latch 44or otherwise as may be preferred. It is to be pointed out that in thepresent apparatus a non-compressible liquid directly coacts with thelifting element or jack E with the resultant advantage of permittingmore precise adjustment of the frame F to assure a radiator or the liketo be submerged to the exact depth desired to best locate a leak.

While the use of air under pressure may be of advantage yet it may bethat under some conditions, and particularly where high city waterpressure is used, the apparatus may be effectively operated by admittingwater direct from the city pressure, to the element or jack E.-

It is also particularly to be pointed out that the device or apparatushereinbefore pointed out is one wherein the frame F and the work thereonis suspended within the water in the tank T, thus materially minimizingthe costs of assembly and maintenance.

Furthermore, it is to be pointed out with particularity that as thepressure is released in the lift member or jack E, the required amountof water will be delivered within the tank T with the resultantadvantage of maintaining the desired water level within the tank T andalso will eliminate the necessity of making frequent changes of water inthe tank T.

It is to be further pointed out that in the apparatus as herein embodiedall wearing parts 'of the apparatus or device are exteriorly of the tankT, and thereby permitting repairs or maintenance possible withoutnecessitating the draining and refilling of the tank. As shown in Figure2 of the drawings the bottom 45 of the tank T is provided with the drainopening 46 normally closed by a plug 41.

By having the members 21 readily shiftable the same can be positioned tobest positions to accommodate radiators having projecting parts or toallow, when desirable, the radiator to be passed down through the frameF to rest directly upon the bottom of the tank T.

' the frame F to be raised out of the water within the tank a selecteddistance and maintained solidly in such position while the repairoperation is in progress.

From the foregoing description it is thought to .be obvious thataradiator testing device constructed in accordance with my invention isparticularly 'well adapted for use by reason of the convenience andfacility with which it may be assembled and operated.

I claim:

In a device of the class described, an open top tank, a work supportingplatform within said tank, inverted V-shaped hangers mountedtransversely of the opposite ends of said platform, vertically movablemembers disposed exteriorly of the opposite ends of said tank andconnected with the apices of said hangers, guide elements for saidmembers mounted on the said tank ends, a shaft journalled below and atone side of said tank, arms carried by said shaft and connected with thelower ends of said members, and a hydraulic means connected with one ofsaid arms for effecting the raising and lowering of said platform.

FRANKLIN BRUCE THOMPSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

